Hat-frame-forming device.



mfszmzo. PATENTED AUG. 28, 1906.

E. A. HOWE.

H'AT FRAME FORMING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED 13150.28, 1904.

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PATENTED AUG. 28', 1906.

B. A. HOWE. HAT FRAME FORMING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 28. 1904.

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INVENTOR. Edward A. flan e. BY

WITNESSES:

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ms NORRIS TERS cn., WASHINGTON, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWVARD A. HOW'E, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 28, 1906.

Application filed December 28.1904. Serial No. 238,606.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD A. HOWE, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing in the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and Stateof New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inHat-Frame-Forming Devices, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improvement in a device for making wirehat-frames for ladies hats; and its object is to facilitate theconstruction of wire hat-frames, whether of the wound-wire or loop-wiretype.

In my present invention the construction is such that it will permit ofwide variation in the adjustment of all the wire-holders for the manydifferent styles or shapes to ladies hats and still have the workingside of the wireholders in perfect alinement, so that the fore-and-aftwires will not only cross in a common center, but rest up against theworking side of the wire-holders supporting the round-and-round wires ofthe brim or crown, thus making it an impossibility to construct anyother shape than the one.desired. On this former duplicates may be madewithout the slightest variation of any of the wires. I have also rovideda simple and convenient means for holding the wires while making thehat-frame which is conducive to speed in the manufacture, as well as anovel means for collapsing the device, which entirely frees thehat-frame when completed.

The foregoing and other features of my invention will now be describedin connection with the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification, in which I have represented my hat-frame former embodyingthe improvements in the preferred form, after which I shall point outmore particularly in the claims those features which I believe to be newand of my own invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters ofreference indicate like parts throughout the several views, Figure 1 isa plan view of the hatframe former embodying my present invention, thewire-holders being set for the formation of a typical hat-frame. Fig. 2is a side elevation thereof in part section along the lines A A, Fig. 1.Fig. 3 is the same side elevation, showing the device collapsed torelease the wire hat-frame. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of thewire-holders which I employ. Fig. 5 is a modification of same used forthe construction of a turban-hat frame. Fig. 6 is a section through thearm 4, showing clamping-plate 10.

In the practice of my invention I provide a suitable base or supportwith which is connected in any desirable manner an upright 1, on the topof which is secured a circular plate 2, provided with radially-extendedarms 3 to which are hinged the horizontal radial arms 4 at the pivot 5.The horizontal arms 4 are provided with a depending member having avertical cam-slot 6, into which the circular ring 7 slides. When thering 7 is in the lower end of the slot 6, the arms 4 are in theirnormally horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 2, the projections 8resting against the upright member 1. When the ring 7 is in the upperend of the slot 6, the former is collapsed, as shown in Fig. 3. In thedrawings, Figs. 1, 2, and3, I have shown eight horizontal arms 4extending radially hinged to the upper'end of a central upright member;but a greater or less number may be employed with equally good results.It is preferable, however, to

have twice as many radially-extended arms as there are to before-and-aft wires of the hat-frame to be formed. To each of theseradial arms is secured, by means of the screws or bolts 9, aclamping-plate 10, provided with a recess 11, into which is secured asoft filling 12such as leather, rubber, or similar materialwhich pressesup against the vertical wire-holders 13 to 19, inclusive, binding sameagainst the flat side of the radial arms 4. These wire-holders areconstructed out of any flexible material with body suflicient to standthe bending of the hat-frame wire and are of any desirable section,provided at the upper end with a seat 20 for the wire 24, Fig. 4. EX-tending beyond the edge 22 of the wireholder is the lip 21 to protectagainst the accidental unseating of the wire 24. These wire-holders arestraight for some distance on their outer side below the recess orwire-seat 20. When the hat-frame wire is Wound around the wire-holdersfor the round-andaround wires of the hat, it may be placed against theside 22 and moved upward and into its seat 20, the lip 21 protectingagainst an overrun and forms one side of the seat. On each of thehorizontal radial arms 4 is secured, by means of a set-screw 80, onewireholder 17, which is for the round-and-round wire forming the headsize.

In the construction of a turban hat the wire-holder shown in Fig. 5 isemployed, substantially as shown, provided with a number of seats on oneface. The wire-holder 18 is curved, as shown, to provide adjustment forthe head-size round-and-round wire and an extended or bell crown withoutinterfering with the Wire-holder l7. and also provides means when incollapsed position to enable the hat-frame to be taken off the formerafter being entirely freed. As the wire-holders supported by each of thehorizontal arms are similar, only one has been described, as will.suflice. The modas operandi is as follows: The ring 7 is pushed down tothe lower end of the cam-slot 6, the arms 4 taking their normallyhorizontal position. The wireholders 17 by their individually-adjustingset-screws 30 are secured to the horizontal arms 4, so that theround-and-round head- Wire of the pattern-hat which I wish to duplicaterests in the recesses or seats 20. This holds the pattern-hat frame in avertical position. The wire-holders for the crown and brim roundandroundwires are hung by their recesses or wire-seats 20 in their respectiveposition, the bolts or screws 9 are then tightened, and theclamplng-plate 10 securely holds the wire-holders in. their relativelyadjusted position. The former is now set to the pattern-hat, which isentirely freed from' the former by sliding the ring 7 to the upper endof the cam-slot 6. After the pattern-hat frame has been lifted off thering 7 .is returned to its normal lower position, and the former isready to form duplicate wire hatframes.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be noticed that the wire-holders attachedto any one horizontal arm are in one vertical plane and the wire-holdersattached to the diametrically opposite arm are also in one vertical.plane. These two planes are parallel and are separated by a distanceequal to the thickness of the wire to be used in making the hatframe.This arrangement just referred to is very important, because with. thisconstruction the foreand-aft wires are fastened into position tightagainst the wire-holders, leaving no room for variation. Thefore-and-aft wires always cross in the center and make a uniform hat. Tofacilitate the centralizing of a pattern-hat frame, I provide an uprightmember 31, which is adapted to engage an opening in the top of thecentral upright member 1 and be held. in vertically-adjusted position bythe collar 32 and the thumbscrew 33.

I wish it distinctly understood that the hat-frame former in itsentirety, as herein illustrated and described, is in the form which Inow desire to construct it and that changes and variations may be usedas may be convenient or desirable without departing from the salientfeatures of my invention, and I therefore intend the following claims tocover such modifications as naturally fall within the lines of myinvention. With some shapes it will not be necessary to use so manywire-holders. The number of horizontal arms or the number of wire-holders arranged on each arm are not specifically limited.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the class described a series of radially arrangedclamping arms hinged to a head on the upper end of a central uprightmember, each of these radial. arms provided with a depending memberhaving a cam-slot, means engaging the slot of each of said members andmovable upward and downward therein.

2. In a hat-frame former a series of clamping hinged arms perfectlystraight on their face side to direct the wire-holders perpendicularly,a clamping-piece provided with a recess to support a suitable fillerintended. to press against and hold in position the wireholders andmeans to securely clamp same to the clamping hinged arm. 7

3. In a device of the class described the combination of a series ofradial horizontal clamping-arms movably mounted, each carryingwire-holders and provided with a depending member having a cam-slot, acircu lar ring passing through these cam-slots and movable thereinupward and downward.

4. In a machine for making hat-frames, the combination of radial armswith spaced side plates, connecting bolts, and hookshaped crown-supportsand rim-supports having shanks that project between the arms and plates.

This specification signed and witnessed this 26th day of December, A. D.1904.

EDWARD A. HOWE.

